Getting in the SPIRIT of Christmas

Advent Calendar


















Riding to the parade in Papa's truck.



















At the parade with Papa and our friend Lance.

























Gracen and Papa

Picking out our Christmas Tree with Papa.

Carter's Birthday

Sunday we had Carter's birthday party. Five pre-k and kindergarten kids running wild in the Rescue Squad wasn't nearly as bad as it sounds. They got the quick tour of an ambulance as well as crawled all over our big crash truck. We did a turn-out gear race and then a rousing game of pin the siren on the ambulance. The big hits were the Monster Truck pinata, opening presents, cake and icecream, and a ride in the big ambulance around the local neighborhood. I guess we've entered into the big time now and there's no going back. Carter is such a big boy now and it is so funny to see him with his friends. He is so confident and self assured. He some times gets a tad bossy but he is well liked in his class. I'll do another post on the rest of the weekend soon.

Happy Birthday Gracen

Saturday was Gracen's Birthday. We had a house full of family to help celebrate. Aunt Kristi, Uncle Kevin, Papa, Granny, Great Aunt Dory, Great Aunt Jackie, and Great Uncle Paul all came Friday night for a super fun slumber party. Saturday morning Grandpa and Grandmommy McWhirter came up to join the festivities. After a nap we all had birthday cupcakes and then Gracen got down to the real business at hand. She loved all of her presents and of course quickly ran out of hands to hold and play with everything although she made a valiant effort at times. It was definitely fun to see her enjoying herself with everyone there. She really is growing up right before our eyes. Happy Birthday big girl.

Fall Is Here

Papa came up this weekend to watch Carter and Gracen on Friday during our workday. Although Friday was a dreary rainy day, Saturday and Sunday turned into a classic Carolina clear fall day. We totally took advantage of Papa's photography equipment and savy to try and get some decent family shots. Here are some of the better shots. As you can see the fall colors are on the scene and so are all the people who come here to look at them. We managed to avoid most of the mob scene.

Right before our eyes

Today makes it only one month left before Gracen is officially two. In many ways she may as well already be there. She is talking more and more each day and her words get more clear with each sentence. My favorites right now are "Don't want it;" " Go baby go baby allway," (an imitation of my cheering friends on during a race) and "Want spyman spoon" (thanks to big brother she has an attachment to spiderman). She has also, in a not so amusing turn of events, discovered a whole new level of screaming which happens mostly while playing with Carter, and is with delight but it also gets employed when he starts messing with her.

Carter on the other hand is a full fledged little man. He is for the most part a very loving older brother very concerned with Gracen's safety. Of course he does get a tad bossy from time to time and although I have no earthly idea where he would ever get the impulse from also a bit ornery with his little sister. Of course Gracen is quite a bruiser and for the most part is able to hold her ground if not give better than she gets. She is definitely tougher than her older brother. Carter is loving school. We hear about his day every night at dinner. Amy loves having her little boy to herself in the morning and getting to see him first thing at the end of the day. I on the other hand love my time with my little girl on the way to work and first thing after work it is incredible to get the rock star treatment. Every day she lights up when I walk through the door of the babysitter.

We've really been enjoying the fall weather lately with a cooling off and the beginning of the leaves turning color. The other day we took a little walk after school all together just up the road with the kids racing each other up the gravel to look for Buckeyes, acorns, and other assorted treasures. Life is simple and good.

We just returned from our annual trip to Isle of Palms with the Boone gang. This year we missed Lance and Nicole due to their new baby girl's arrival being immenent, but added Lynn and Abby along with the regulars of Todd and Jess, and Jasyn and Corrie. What a different experience with EVERYONE having kids! It was great to hang out with everyone, eat awesome food, have fancy drinks, and relax on the beach. The kids did great and Carter loved playing with Lucy, Lynn and Abby's 2 1/2 year old. Gracen kind of did her almost two year old thing, playing on her own, and not wanting share with anyone. (what is up with the terrible twos anyway?)
Mostly it was just fun hanging with good friends in a beautiful place. The boys (the big ones) caught both some surf during the day and some crabs in a night stealth mission. Carter loved "surfing" on his boogie board and played in the water most of the time. It was great finally being at the beach when none of my children were eating the sand and could just run around and play. It just makes me even more excited for next year's trip!

McWhirter Family Reunion

Back towards the end of July we met Amy's family for the annual McWhirter get together. This year it was at Natural Tunnel State Park in Virginia only about 30 minutes from Kingsport. We had a great time visiting with everyone and spent a ton of time in the pool. It was pretty hot while we were there but the pool was right next to the lodge we were staying in. In fact we even had our own little back gate to access the pool. Carter's swimming progressed exponentially during our time there to the culmination of jumping off the diving board all by himself and on the last day even swimming to the side unassisted.

Carter really enjoyed playing with his cousins Ethan and Ellie the whole time. He also really liked hanging out with the bigger cousins especially his cousin April.

Todd and the twins spent a night with us after the reunion back in Boone. Gracen is still putting things on her head and saying "hat" (a game with her silly Uncle Todd). We got to hang out at the pond together where Ethan and Ellie both got to real in a couple of bass.

Our hike down to the Natural Tunnel.

Carter going for it.